Seems odd to launch into a reflection on contempt on such a spectacular day. And most certainly, I intend to end on a positive note here, much like the beauty sunshine that I relished in on my afternoon walk Tuesday afternoon.
But this is about what else I'm letting into my mind and spirit these days, as political posturing floods my newsfeed. And how gradually, gradually so much of it has become full of all kinds of nasty.
Where is it all coming from?
I'm talking about memes, 'breaking news,' or anything that remotely looks like a credible report of any kind, but is actually a below-the-belt whammy on someone, usually a well-known someone, using inflammatory language without any apparent attempt at civility or perhaps even accuracy. The problem with it is, and this is something of a confession, as best I understand these things, what I'm seeing on my feed is very likely because of other things I've clicked on or looked up previously. Meaning, I'm getting all the nasty things that are directed at what I'm already indicating is likely my opinion or leaning.
And another level of transparency. More than just taking the click bait, sometimes I find myself registering an inner agreement, cheering it on.
I know it's not okay. Not if I claim to be a person who follows the Jesus who taught us the dignity of every human being. But I had let is become normalized somehow. Just scrolling on through all the vitriol.
Then this. In a chapter called "Places we go when we feel wronged," in Rene Brown's Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connections the the Language of Human Experience. In considering the experience of contempt, she talks about something I'd never really seen articulated before.
"'Motive attribution asymmetry' -- the assumption that your ideology is based in love, while your opponent's is based in hate..." Then, quoting Arthur Brooks in a New York Times piece entitled "Our Culture of Contempt: "Contempt makes political compromise and progress impossible...It also endangers the contemptuous person by stimulating two stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. In ways both public and personal, contempt causes us deep harm" (page 218-219).
And yes, you should read the book. Because the detailed level of Brown's research is worthy of thoughtful pursuit. And there's way more involved, and all of it fascinating, than what I will deal with here. But I was moved by the definitions of contempt, and the correlation to beliefs of superiority, and how easily I can attribute hateful motives to those I find myself at odds with.
This reaches beyond my Facebook feed, of course. But I'm starting there. You know, there's this little feature called "Block." Ima just gunna use that a bit more often, me thinks. Don't need to pour contempt into this heart I've been instructed to guard 'above all' (Proverbs 4:23).
It's all part of a journey I've been on for a few months now. How to think, feel and behave as a Christ-follower in such a dichotomized world. Desperately desiring unity in His Church while still wrangling with justice, and realizing again that it starts with what's beating inside my own chest.
Really looking forward to digging deeper into Brown's work with our theo-discussion group Thursday afternoon.
Another beauty day, I think.
Hope it's a good one for you!
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